Compare towns
Reading vs Hanover vs West Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most kids (18.5% under 18).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
West Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($237k median).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Reading | Hanover | West Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699Lowest |
8,479Highest |
711 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
50.3±7.6 29% above U.S. |
| Reading and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Fairlee and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$76,500±$16kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$237,200±$35kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,113±$171 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 84% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,210Lowest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±89.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.